


All At Sea

by vix_spes



Series: All At Sea [1]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Age of Sail, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Alternate Universe - Regency, Beverly Katz is the Best, Friendship, Gen, Golden Age of Piracy, Intersex, Pirates, Sassy Will Graham, The Royal Navy, Will Graham & Beverly Katz Friendship, elements of Black Sails, hannigram AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-23
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-17 00:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19328761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: After presenting as an omega and being betrothed to an alpha he hates, Will has come up with a drastic plan to escape. Luckily for him, he won't be alone.





	All At Sea

“So, are you going to tell me what your crazy plan is or am I just going to have to guess?”

Will jumped as Bev’s voice broke the silence of his bedroom. Sometimes it sucked when there were no boundaries between you and your best friend. He then jumped a second time as she threw herself on the mattress, making it bounce. He turned on his side and buried his face in the pillow, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re a liar, Will Graham. We’ve been best friends since we were born; you can’t hide anything from me.”

“Why would I need to leave a crazy plan anyway?”

“Because you have the worst parents in the neighbourhood who have betrothed you to a creepy sleaze of an alpha. I mean, seriously, what were they thinking? Frederick Chilton?”

“They were thinking of the money. The Graham’s might be old money, but given the way my father drinks, there won’t be much of the family fortune left. Most of the neighbourhood thinks I’m too strange for marriage anyway.”

Bev wrapped her arms around Will and clung tight. “They don’t know what they’re missing out on.”

Beverley Katz, loyal best friend and willing partner in crime.

“Chilton does. It’s the reason he wants to marry me. Not only does he get a blue-blooded male omega to breed, he gets an entry into society and permanent access to a case study for the papers he writes. He’d be in every single issue of the medical journals if he wrote about me. God knows what’s in that contract my father signed.”

“You haven’t seen it?” Bev’s tone was sharp.

“I’m an omega so what I want, think or feel doesn’t matter. So no, I haven’t seen it, even if it is my betrothal contract.”

“But, but … how can he? That bastard!” Bev spluttered and issued a whole host of curses directed at Will’s sire.

“Just be grateful you’re a beta.” Not for the first time since he had presented and Bev had not, Will envied her. His life would be so much simpler if he hadn’t been an omega. Finally accepting that he needed the comfort, Will gave in and wrapped himself around Bev, snuggling close with a happy hum. They rested in silence for a while before Bev prodded Will in the side.

“So, where are we headed with your crazy plan?”

“Who said _we_ were going anywhere?”

“I’d like to see you try and go anywhere without me, William Shannon Graham. Seriously, how would you survive without me? You’d probably see a stray dog and wander into the path of an oncoming carriage. Or forget to eat and do something stupid. Besides, why am I going to stay around here if you’re not? It isn’t as though I want to marry anyone from around here. Can you imagine it?”

Will really couldn’t. He couldn’t imagine Bev being married to anyone in their neighbourhood, wearing the latest fashions and making the rounds, sharing the local gossip over tea. She was far too intelligent for any of the men around her, be they alpha or beta. She would undoubtedly get some interest, given that the Katz’ were a well-respected and reasonably wealthy family as well as Bev’s beauty, but she would chafe at it. Besides, he couldn’t imagine being without her. They had been inseparable from birth and he didn’t really want that to change.

In addition to that, Bev was right. There was no way that Will was going to be to carry out his plan without her, let alone survive it. He was just going to have to come clean and hope that Bev could fill in the holes in his plan.

“I’m right, you can’t. I’m coming with you and that’s the end of that. So, where are we going?”

“Portsmouth.”

Will didn’t say more than that. He didn’t need to, if the way that Bev’s chest contracted sharply beneath his head. Bev knew what he wanted, what his plan was.

“We’re joining the Royal Navy?”

“That’s the plan.”

Will tried to keep his voice light and confident but, he wasn’t entirely sure if he was successful. Even if his tense shoulders didn’t give him away, Bev knew him better than his parents and, some days, he was fairly sure that she knew him better than he knew himself.

“And what? We just stroll up to the nearest ship and stow aboard? Or are you actually planning on enlisting? Do you know how absolutely crazy that is? Either way, you’ll be an omega on board a ship with who knows how many alphas. What about your suppressants? What were you going to do for them without me?”

Will buried his face in Bev’s belly and mumbled something. He hated when she was right. He felt her fingers thread into his hair and start to card through the curls, knowing exactly how to relax him.

“Look, neither of us know anything about sailing or the Royal Navy. The closest that you’ve been to open water is fishing in the local lakes and streams, while the nearest I’ve ever got is listening to you talk about fishing. We need to think about this carefully, do some research. Come up with a fool proof plan.”

“Yes, well, we don’t have too much time dealing with that fool of Chilton. I might not know the details of the betrothal contract, but I hardly think he’s going to wait around for a long time. He’s going to want to get a ring on my finger and me flat on my back as quickly as possible and my father won’t hinder him.”

“Then we’d better think quickly.”

~*~

True to her word, Bev had thought quickly and come up with a more developed plan than Will had formulated.

It was easier for her to gather information without arousing suspicion and she proceeded to do precisely that. It didn’t take long for her to drag Will away and present him with a whole host of information. She knew the best way for them to get to Portsmouth, how much it would cost them, where they should go once they got there. And not a minute too soon as Chilton was making noises about getting the bans read in church, with the view of he and Will getting married as soon as possible.

The two of them started putting aside some practical clothing, any sentimental items that they had – more so Bev than Will – as well as what money they could find, or trinkets that could be pawned if needed. Bev even feigned being sick to get out of several afternoons of tea and gossip to make as many doses of the suppressants she had created for Will as possible. With that done, it was simply a case of biding their time and choosing the right moment to make their escape.

As Will had expected, his father and Chilton wasted absolutely no time in preparing to get the banns read in the local church. Will knew that now was the time to make his move. The morning that they were read for the first time in the church, Will caught Bev’s eye and nodded his head slightly. He saw her eyes widen and then her resolute nod.

That night, once his mother had retired early to bed and his father was passed out drunk, Will gathered his things and slipped out of the window, down the drive to where Bev was waiting on the edges of the Graham property with two horses. He mounted and turned the horse round, not looking back once as he clicked his tongue and kicked his heels, setting them in the direction of Portsmouth.

Will was free.

~*~

Portsmouth was all hustle and bustle, people shouting everywhere and strange smells. It was overwhelming and both Will and Bev couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed at all of the goings-on around them. They knew that they didn’t have much time though; it had been a couple of days since they had left and, while Will’s family wouldn’t be looking for him out of sentimental reasons, they would be searching for monetary reasons. It only took a couple of questions for them to get directions to the docks where they could join the Royal Navy. No-one batted an eyelid or questioned their desires to enlist.

The docks were even busier than the centre of town, a mix of sailors, fishermen and whores. A table had been set up under a canopy which was where the Naval recruiting officer was seated. There was no queue and they walked straight up to the table.

“Names? Age? Secondary genders?”

They answered the questions as confidently as they could, trying not to sound nervous but the Naval officer didn’t even look up from the parchment that he was writing on.

“Can you read? Write? Count?”

A little perplexed, the two of them answered in the affirmative.

“You got money?”

They exchanged glances. They did have some money, what little they could secrete away from their families without being caught and their plans detected.

“The Renown is short of two midshipmen, if you’re willing to buy yourself in.”

The man quoted a sum that would still leave them with some funds for any emergencies that might arise. They hadn’t planned for this but, going in as a midshipman might give them – might give Will – a bit of protection from the less savoury characters that had been conscripted. Will and Bev had a silent conversation before Bev pulled the requisite funds from the pouch on her belt and slid them across the desk. The man wrote a few things down and then pushed the paper across the desk.

“Make your… sign here.”

They both did as they were told and were given their next instructions.

“Gieves will have all you need in stock. Dunnage needs to be on the docks tonight ready for loading. The Renown is berthed down at the end of the dock. Captain is Barnaby Matthews. He’s a good man. Report there once you’ve got your uniform; she leaves tomorrow morning with the tide.”

“Welcome to His Majesty’s Navy. God help you and you may see more than your first voyage.”

(~*~)

The following morning, Will and Bev stumbled down to the dock shortly after dawn. They had spent the previous day at Gieves outfitting themselves and generally trying to keep a low profile before renting a room in an inn near the docks for the night. Despite the early hour, the docks were just as busy as the previous day, people milling about and shouting everywhere.

“Well? What are ye waitin’ for? Ships don’t wait for no man.” The voice behind them was accompanied by an arm, giving them a strong shove towards the ship that loomed over them.

The two of them stumbled up the gangplank and stood, staring wide-eyed at the hustle and bustle around them. The air was filled with shouting, men moving around everywhere, throwing bags and items around, pulling on ropes.

A rather burly and somewhat grizzled sailor appeared in front of them, looking over them up and down appraisingly.

“Fresh meat, eh? Ge’ on wi’ it. Stow your gear below and report to Hobbs for work.”

They were officially part of the Royal Navy.


End file.
